Solenoid switch



May 11, 1943. E. M. CLAYTORA ETAL SOLENOID SWITCH Filed Nov. 26, 194

xlalo ,A ATTORNEYJ Patented May 1l, 1943 SOLENOID SWITCH Edward M. Claytor and John Edward Antonidis, Anderson, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 26, 1941, Serial No. 420,600

l Claim.

This invention relates to engine starting systems, more particularly the type of system disclosed in the copending application of John B. Dyer, Serial No. 734,739, filed July 12, 1934, which became Patent No. 2,287,791 on June 30, 1942.

In the Dyer system the engine starting motor is connected with the flywheel of the engine to be started by a pinion connected with the motor shaft and movable therealong into mesh with the engine flywheel gear. The pinion is shifted by a solenoid which operates also to connect the starting motor with a storage battery. The solenoid windings are connected with the lstorage battery by a relay switch whose magnet coil is controlled by the ignition switch and by a switch actuated by the engine throttle control member or accelerator pedal. The solenoid and the solenoid relay are constructed as a unit adapted to be mounted upon the frame of the starting motor.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a solenoid switch and relay unit of simplied construction which can be manufactured economically.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a .solenoid and relay unit constructed in accordance with the present invention, said view being on the line of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an underside view, on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, of the solenoid relay together with its mounting base, a portion of which is shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

The solenoid includes a subassembly comprising a mounting bracket welded to a tubular outer case member 2| which is welded to a tubular inner case member 22. There is an end plate subassembly comprising a central core 23, the reduced shank 24 of which receives a metal disc 25 of such diameter as to t snugly within the tube 2| and a disc 26 of somewhat smaller diameter. The parts 23, 25 and 26 are secured together by riveting shank 24 as indicated at 21. The end plate'subassembly and the case subassembly are joined together by bending the lefthand annular edge of tub 2| against the disc 25 as indicated at 28. The case and end plate subassembly thus formed receive a coil subassembly including a coil spool subassembly which comprises a non-magnetizable tube 30 provided with an annular bead 3|. Against the left side of the bead 3| a metal disc 32 is located; then an insulating disc 33 is placed against the disc 32; an insulating tube 34 is placed around the tube 30 and is pushed against the disc 33; an insulating disc 35 is placed around the tube 36 and against the left end of tube 34, a metal disc 36 is placed around tube 30 and pushed against the disc 35 and the left end of tube 30 is crimped as indicated at 31 to retain the assembly of parts of the coil spool. The spool is placed in a winding machine and windings providing a main attractlng coil 40 and the holding coil 4| are wound around the tube 34 and between the discs 33 and 35. A layer of insulation 42 is formed around the coil 40 before winding the lcoil 4|. Thus the coil assembly is manufactured.

The coil assembly is located within the case assembly, the coil leads extending from the left thereof being passed through holes provided in discs 35, 36, 25 and 26, as will be explained later. The tube 3|! ts snugly around the core 23. A disc 44 having an integral tongue 45 is placed around the right end of a tube 30 and 1s pushed toward the left against the bead 3| thereof. Tube 30 has a notch 46 for receiving the tongue 45. Then a disc 41 having a centrally disposed tubular neck 48 is placed around the tube 30 and pushed against the disc 44 and the assembly of parts is maintained by crimping over the righthand circular edge of tube 2| against the disc 41` as indicated at 49. Thus the case and coil subassembly is completed.

A solenoid armature 50 having a groove 5| for receiving the tongue is placed within the tube 30 which provides a bearing for the sliding movement of the armature which is non-rotatable by reason of the engagement of tongue 45 with groove 5| of the armature. Armature 5U is retained with the case and coil assembly by a cupshaped flexible rubber boot 52 having a central aperture to receive a stud 53 which is screwed into the armature 50 to provide a connection between the armature and the mechanism for shifting the starting motor pinion. This mechanism. includes a lever and a link connecting the lever with the stud 53, said stud having an aperture 54 for receiving a pin by which it may be connected with the link. The stud 53 has an annular groove 55 receiving the central portion of the boot 52' which portion may be stretched so as to push the threaded portion of the stud 53 through it. The outer peripheral portion 56 of the bead is placed around the neck 48 of disc 41 and is secured thereto by clamping band 51 secured by screw 58 and a nut 59 (Fig. '7). Thus the selonoid subassembly is completed. Parts 2|, 22, 23, 25, 26, 44, 41 and 50 which comprise the magnetic circuit of the solenoid are magnetizable.

With the solenoid subassembly there is associated a solenoid relay subassembly which com`' prises a metal base 60 which insulatingly supports a contact bracket 6|, a magnetiza-ble core 62 having a pole face 63, a magnetizable frame 64, a terminal 65 and a terminal 66. For the purpose of insulating these parts from each other, an insulating plate 61 is located on one side of the base 60 and an insulating plate 68 is located on the other side'. A rivet 69 passes through closely fitting holes in bracket 6|, plate 68, plate 61 and washer 10 and through a clearance hole in base 60, and rivet 69 is upset at 1 I. The lower reduced portion of core 62 extends through snugly tting holes in plates 68, 61 and in washer 12 and through a clearance hole 13 in base 60. The lower end of core 62 is riveted at 14 against the washer 12. Thus the core 62 and the bracket 64 against which a shoulder of the core bears, are secured to the base. In a manner similar to the connection of the bracket 6| with the base, the terminals 65 and 66 are connected with the base by rivets 15 and 16.

The contact bracket 6| of the solenoid relay carries a stationary contact 11 to be engaged by movable contact 18 supported by a, spring blade 19 fixed at 80 to an armature 3| connected by spring hinge 82 with the armature 83 of bracket 64. Spring hinge 82 biases the armature 8| away from the core 63, this movement being limited by the engagement of blade 19 with a stop 84 attached tothe core 63. Around the .core 63 there is wound a coil 85 .having one lead 86 connected with rivet 16 which is electrically connected with terminal V66. The other lead 11 of coil 85 is connected with rivet 15 which is electricallyconnectedwith terminal 65. The terminals 65 and 66 are connected as shown in the Dyer application referred to with a circuit which includes the storage battery, the ignition switch and a switch which is closed by movement of the accelerator pedal to a position required for engine starting. When the circuit ofthe winding 85 is completed by closing the ignition switch and pressing the accelerator pedal, the contacts 19 and 11 of the relay are engaged in order to esta-blish a circuit between the storage battery and the windings 40 and 4| which are connected with the relay contacts in a manner to be described. Thus the solenoid relay subassembly has :been provided.

The starting motor switch comprises a switch bracket subassembly and a contact and push rod subassembly. The contact and push rod subassembly comprises a rod 90 slidably supported by the central bore of the core 23 and slidably supporting a metal sleeve 9| carrying a copper disc 92 insulated from said sleeve 9| by non-conducting plates 93 and 94; Rod 90 is grooved at 95 and 96 to receive C-washers 91 and 98 respectively. Washer 93 is retained within its groove 96 by spring 99 confined under compression between washer 98 and a washer |00 which bears against the sleeve 9| and thus forces it against the washer 91. Washer 91 is retained in its groove 95 byaspring |20.

The switch bracket subassembly comprises a U-shaped bracket |0| which insulatingly supports 75 terminal screws |02 and |03, the heads |02a and 03a of which provide stationary switch contacts to be engaged by the movable contact 92. The terminal screws have square portions |021) and |03b which t square holes in conducting plates |04 and |05 respectively. The square portions I02b and |0311 also t into square holes in an insulating plate |86 which is cen-trally apertured at |01 to provide clearance for a stud |08 attached to bracket |0I. The round Shanks of the bolts |02 and |03 pass through clearance holes in bracket |0| and through snugly tting holes of insulating washers |09a and |09?) (see Fig. 3) and receive plain washers ||0 and nuts retained by lock washers |2. Thus the terminals |02 and |03 are secured to the bracket |0I. Thus the switch bracket subassembly is completed.

With the solenoid subassembly in a vertical position so that its disc 26 is horizontal, the relay subassembly is located as shown in Fig. 1 with the base 60 against the disc 26. The contact and push rod subassembly is assembled with the core 23, the push rod 90 extends within the aperture thereof. Then the spring |20 is placed upon the C-washer 91 and the contact carrying bracket |0| is placed upon the relay base 60 with the aperture in its feet I9 a and |0|b registering with the apertures in the base 60 and with tapped holes in disc 26 and 25. Then screws lln: are passed through these aligned openings and are screwed into the tapped holes in the discs 26 and 25, thus completing the assembly with the solenoid subassembly of the solenoid relay subassembly and the two subassem-blies forming the starting motor switch.

As stated before, certain leads of the solenoid coils 40 and 4| extend through certain holes in the plates 25 and 26. Holes for this pur-pose are also provided in the relay base plate 60. The inside lead of coil 40 extends through the hole |2| in disc 35 and lthrough notch |22 of disc 36 (Fig. 6) and through holes aligned therewith in discs 25 and 26 and in base 69. This lead Vis designated by numeral |23 in Figs. 2 and 4 and is connected with a metal clip |24 (Fig. 5) in contact with the frame 64 and electrically connected with contact 18. The inside lead of coil 4| passes through a hole |25 in disc 35, through a notch |26 in disc 36 and through aligned holes in discs 25 and 26 and in base 60. This lead appears at |21 in Figs. 2 and 4 and it is connected together with lead 23 with :the clip |24. Thus the inside leads of both coils 40 and 4| are connected with a contact of the solenoid relay. The outside lead of coil 40 passes through a hole |28 in disc 35 and through a notch |29 in disc 36 and through aligned holes of discs 35 and 36 and base 60 and appears at |30 in Fig. 4. Lead |30 is connected with the conducting plate |03a which connects it with the terminal screw |03. The outside lead |3| (Fig. 6) of coil 4| is grounded by passing it through notches in the discs 35 and 36 and soldering it to the disc 36 as indicated .at |3|a (Fig. 6) The relay contact 11 is connected with terminal screw |02 by connecting the contact Vbracket 6| with conducting plate |04 (Figs.Y 3 and 4) said con-v nections being Vmade by soldering at |04a. Thus the electric connections between the solenoid and the solenoid relay and the terminals |02 and |03 are complete according to the disclosure of the Dyer application referred to.

The solenoid relay and the starterswitch are enclosed by drawn metal case |40 having its peripheral flange |4| shaped to fit a'rubber gasket |42 which in turn fits around theredge of the base 60 of the solenoid relay assembly. Tangs extending from the case |40 are bent around the gasket |42 and against the base 60 to attach the case to the base. The front wall of the case |40 is provided with holes to clear the Washers |,09a and |09b, to clear that part of the bracket 0| which supports the stud |08 and with the side openings which clear the washers |09a and |09b. The gasket |45 is retained by the head of a screw |41 which is threaded into the bracket |0|.

The terminal |02 receives a lock Washer |52 and a nut |54 for attaching a cable to be connected with the storage battery. The terminal |03 receives a similar lock washer |53 and a nut |55 for connection with a cable to be connected with the starting motor. The closing of the ignition switch and the depression of the accelerator pedal causes the relay magnet winding 85 to receive current from the battery, thereby causing the contacts 10 and 1l to be engaged and the two windings 40 and 4| to be connected with the battery, since the inside leads of coils 40 and 4| are connected with contact 1B, and contact is connected with terminal 02 which is connected with the battery. The circuit of coil 40, the main attracting coil, is completed through the electric starting motor since the outside lead of coil of coil is connected with the terminal |03 which ls connected with the starting motor. The outside lead |3I, of coil 4|, the holding coil, is connected with battery directly through ground. The coils 40 and 4| both being connected with the battery, the solenoid armature moves toward the left thereby causing a mechanism connected with the stud 53 to shift the starting motor pinion into mesh with the engine flywheel gear. At the same time, movement of armature 50 toward the left causes the movable contact 92 to engage the stationary contacts |02a and |03a provided by the heads of screws |02 and |03, thereby directly connecting screw |02 with screw |03 to connect the starting motor directly with the storage battery and to short circuit the main attracting coil 40, but leaving the holding coil 4| in the circuit. When the engine becomes self-operative the circuit of the solenoid relay coil becomes automatically interrupted, and the contact 18 of the relay is separated from the contact 11 and the circuit of the holding coil 4| is broken, thereby permitting spring |20 to move the contact 92 away from the contacts |,02ay and |03a. concurrently therewith, the armature 50 moves toward the right under the action of a spring (not shown) which restores the starter pinion to demeshed position.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

A solenoid switch comprising the combination of a solenoid sub-assembly, a movable contact sub-assembly, a xed contact sub-assembly, a plate and a housing attached to the plate and cooperating therewith to enclose the contacts; said solenoid sub-assembly including magnet windings, a magnetizable enclosure therefor having an end wall, providing a surface for receiving one side of the plate, a centrally apertured magnetizable core located within the enclosure and supported by the end wall, and a magnetizable armature movable relative to the core and supported by the enclosure; the movable contact sub-assembly including an endwise movable rod extending through the aperture of the magnet core and a movable contact insulatingly supported thereby; said fixed contact sub-assembly comprising a bracket having mounting parts located against the side of the plate remote from the solenoid end wall and xed contacts providing terminals insulatingly supported thereby; common means for securing the bracket and the plate to the solenoid end wall; a spring located between the bracket and the movable contact sub-assembly to maintain the movable contact normally spaced from the iixed contacts; said plate extending beyond the periphery of the solenoid enclosure; terminals for the solenoid magnet windings insulatingly supported by the plate exterior to the housing; said housing having apertures clearing the terminals of the i'lxed contacts; and means Within the housing for making electrical connections between the windings and their terminals.

EDWARD M. CLAYTOR. JOHN EDWARD ANTONIDIS. 

